The album opens with "Return Of The Mayfly," which begins with some great stuff from the brass section, and then quickly becomes a sort of disco jazz number. Tony Carlucci plays trumpet on this track. "Everybody has to deal with sorrow/Everybody has to clear their mind/He would rather think about tomorrow/Than the nightmare he left behind." There is something smooth about the vocal work, particularly the backing vocal work, and the track features a totally delicious groove. That instrumental section in the middle is what really stands out for me, with some fun stuff on keys. The drumming here is excellent, and there is a cool bass line. As the song begins to fade out, the song's opening line is repeated in the background. A good beat is established at the beginning of "Someplace On Madison," and the city seems to be built on that rhythm, to move to it. The city is New York, and the song takes us to different spots there, making the city feel pretty cool, pretty relaxed (which was not always my experience there). I love the horns in that first section. Michael Leonhart delivers a wonderful lead on trumpet.
There is more of an intense vibe to "Crashbox" at the start. The album's title track has an intriguing title. Apparently a crash box is a part of a car that helps protect you in a collision, but when I was doing theatre, it had a different definition. It was a box of junk that we could shake or drop for certain sound effects. The song is about how the newsfeed that we are all subjected to these days pulls us into a hole. "Got a thirst for information/Got a hunger for the truth." Interestingly, information and truth are often two different things these days. There is so much information out there, and so little truth. It's a dark and depressing world out there. Politics will not save us. Music might. Anyway, this song is one of the album's highlights, featuring some really good vocal work. In the second half, Don Breithaupt suddenly asks, "What's the worst that could happen?" That's a question many of us are afraid to ask, for it seems the answer will come to pass. "In the age of escalation/You want a sword and not a pen." This track develops into a good jam. When it starts to fade out, I'm disappointed. I want it to go on a bit longer. Then "Disappear In Plain Sight" begins on keys, and has a much gentler sound and feel. It was written by Don Breithaupt and Marc Jordan, and Marc sings on it. It becomes a sort of love song, the chorus reminding m a bit of some of Chicago's music. It might be mainly the way he delivers the word "sight" that first time in these lines: "Let's disappear in plain sight/Let's fade away in the downtown lights/You can pretend I'm somebody cool/Let's disappear in plain sight." This track contains some really good stuff on guitar.
"What's Left Of This World" has a totally delicious and cheerful groove, part of what gets me immediately digging this track. Peter Cardinali plays bass on this one. "Found a little spot they forgot to pave/Everybody here got a plan to save/What's left of this world." Ah, I hope there's a plan. It's difficult to keep from getting a little cynical these days. Where I find hope is in music. This is another of my favorite tracks. There is crowd noise at the beginning and again at end. And then the very end has the sound of a door closing. Is that the end of this world? "Sundaying" also has a good, positive groove and vibe, and features some really nice work on saxophone. "It's been a long, long week/So let the moment speak/Slow it down, hang around." I also really like the backing vocal work. This is a song to leave you with a pleasant feeling, a song about relaxing. "Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em" soon too develops a good groove. This song is about taking a look around and realizing things are getting worse. We seem to be at the edge of oblivion. "I'm ordering the last best round/Welcome to the bottom." There is a dark edge to this song, which feels right. And there is a lonesome climax to this track, which also feels right.
There is then a sort of intimate feel to "Bring The Stars Down" as it begins, to the piano work. And then strings are added to this one. That's Drew Jurecka on violin and viola, and Lydia Muchinsky on cello. I love what they provide this track. This song also contains one of the album's best vocal performances. "There are four thousand spaces/Where you used to be/Now I know how many it takes/To break me/I've been thinking or drinking or both." I find this song especially affecting me. It is followed by "You Just Don't Know It Yet." Here are the song's opening lines: "You say you're waiting/'Til the time is right/Maybe this time next year/Can't see your future/For the blinding light/Of your fear." Often we ourselves are our greatest obstacle. Life is short, and we're not promised anything. I appreciate how this song is encouraging. And Selena Evangeline adds some beautiful vocal work, especially toward the end. Then "Chasing The Muse" features some good work from the horns. "Beauty takes its time/It ain't always right to make it rhyme."
Interestingly, in "Friday Night Jam" Don sings, "Won't you bring the stars down/To the Friday night jam," reminding us of the earlier track "Bring The Stars Down." But now the line has a different sense. This is a song that celebrates those musicians at their local small venues covering the old songs, never quite making it but still doing it, still playing. It contains some nice nods and references to other songs. The album then concludes with "Feeling You Breathe," a pretty song that is another of the disc's highlights. "But tonight/I'm feeling you breathe/Right next to me/And the world is still turning/Life may be brief/But right now/I'm feeling you breathe." Yes, life is so short, and one day things will end for everyone, but those moments with that special someone still matter. This brief existence is all about love, about friends and family, and about music. Drew Jurecka and Lydia Muchinsky return on strings, delivering some wonderful work. This track also features some beautiful guitar work.
CD Track List
- Return Of The Mayfly
- Someplace On Madison
- Crashbox
- Disappear In Plain Sight
- What's Left Of This World
- Sundaying
- Smoke 'Em If You Got 'Em
- Bring The Stars Down
- You Just Don't Know It Yet
- Chasing The Muse
- Friday Night Jam
- Feeling You Breathe
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